foebest weaver



N'o Modem E. F. WEAVER.

I REVOLVING TELEPHONE STAND.

No. 317,252. Patented May 5, 1885 'WITNESSES: r I INVENTOR o lllugnphur. Washinglnn. o. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT (DFFICE.

E. FORREST "WEAVER, OE PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OE ONE-HALFTO GEORGE H. PERKINS, OE SAME PLACE.

REVOLVING TELEPHONE-STAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,252, dated May5.1885.

Application filed October 11, 1884.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, E. FORREST WEAVER, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, in the Stateof'Pennsylvania, have invented certain Im provements in RevolvingTelephone-Stands, of which the following is a specification.

The principal object of this invention is the improvement of a certainrevolving telephonestand invented by me and patented to me under date ofJune 28, 1881, in and by United States Letters Patent No. 243,663;butits further object is the provision of an accuratelyoperating mechanismby the use of which any device dependent for its operation upon thecontinuous transmission of an electric current or currents, and which isat the same time intended to be revolved about a fixed pivot, can beaccurately revolved without disarrangement of its wires or conductors ordisestablishment of its electric current. My improved device, in otherwords, is such as to insure the continuous electrical connection of aseries of divided wires for the uninterrupted passage of an electriccurrent at whatever position in its path a revoluble device connectedwith said wires, be it an electric transmitter, an electric flash orsignal light, or other contrivance, may be placed.

Reference to the Letters Patent above mentioned will show that thecontrivances therein set forth consist, essentially, of a revolublewire-holder, upon a lateral extension of which a telephone-transmitteror kindred electric device is mounted, a fixed standard, within whichsaid holder is erected and revolved, what is termed an upper disk,connected and adapted to revolve with the wire-holder, and a fixed diskadjusted to make contact with the upper disk, and conveniently appliedbelow the table or surface upon which the standard was mounted.

In the said patented device the opposing faces of the disks arerespectively provided with corresponding opposite series ofsuitablyinsulated concentric rings, in which rings the wires of thedifferent circuits are respectively entered, so that although the wiresthemselves are divided at the disks, yet by virtue of their beingembedded in the conductingrings of the respective disks, which by op-(No model.)

posite pairs are in contact, a given circuit is established through agiven divided wire by the interposition of said conducting-rings, and

the connection is complete so long as the rings are in contact, whatevermay be the relative position of the revoluble disk and its connectedappliances with respect to the fixed disk. Transmission of current is ofcourse dependent upon the contact of opposing pairs of conducting-rings.A complete understanding of my former invention can be had by areference to the patent above mentioned.

In the operation of my above-mentioned device it has been found thatafter long use the conducting-rings of the disks tend to wear away insuch manner that adjustment of the disks or replacement of the ringsbecomes necessary. The specific object of my present invention isto soimprove upon the aforesaid 7o disks as to render them more durable, andthereby save the expense of repairs and adjustment. These results Iaccomplish by mechanism a preferred form of a convenient embodiment ofwhich is represented in the ac- 7 5 companying drawings, and describedin the following specification, the particular matter claimed as novelbeing hereinafter definitely specified.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is So a central verticalpartially sectional side elevation of a revolving telephone-standconveniently embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a central verticalsectional enlarged elevation through the base of the standard, repre S 5senting the disks or supporting-plates which carry, respectively, theconcentric conduct ing-rings and the spring-controlled knobs or buttons.Fig. 3 is a central vertical magnified elevational detail through one ofthe 0 spring-controlled brushes, knobs, or.buttons and a part of itsring. view of the fixed or under disk, and Fig. 5 is an under plan viewof the movable disk which Fig. 4-. is a top plan is provided with theseries of concentric rings. 5

or other wire-holding revolnble stem ,C,which, if desired, above thestandard branches at an angle, and is provided with a telephonictransmitter, signal-light, or other electrical device, D. Thewire-holder G contains or carries the upper wires, E, which formportions of circuits,the other portions of which are completed in thedevices carried by the disks and in the lower wires, E, which arerepresented as passing out below the table. The revolnble wireholdingtube 0 is provided with a disk or other suppoi'tingplate, F, calledherein the upper disk, which is provided with a series of concentricrings, f, of conducting material, suitably insulated from each other.Into each of these rings one extremity of one of the upper wires E isshown embedded. The upper disk, as already stated,revolves with thewireholder and its supported device. to be re volved.

G is the fixed or lower disk or kindred supporting-plate, best made ofinsulating material,and conveniently supported upon a multiarmed orother suitable spring, H, secured upon the table or other fixed support.The fixed disk is best of the same diameter as that of the revolnbledisk, and it is provided as to its upper face with a series of cells, 9,or sockets, preferably of conducting material,which are respectivelyplaced at radial distances upon the fixed disk corresponding to theradial distance of a given ring upon the upper disk from the center ofsaid disk. The cells are preferably jhollow cylinders closed at theirbase, and contain a spiral or other suitable spring, 9, upon which issuperimposed a knob or button, 9' of conducting material. The freeextremities of the lower wires are respectively led up through a hole,a, in the table through a central aperture, f, in thelower disk, and arethence conducted conveniently through channels f formed for the purposeradially outward, and are connected or respectively entered into theclosed bases of the cells. The proportions and strength of the springsin the cells are such as to cause the knobs or buttons to project agiven distance above the upper face of the lower disk. The number ofcells and knobs or buttons is correspondent to the number of rings, andthe cells are, as stated, set at different radial distancescorresponding to the position of the rings in the upper disk, so thateach knob or button makes contact with a given ring, and in therevolution of the rings with the upper disk remains in contact with itsring under the stress of its spiral spring.

- The accurate support of the lower disk in a plane parallel with theplane of the face of the upper disk is conveniently secured by thesupport of the lower disk upon the multiarmed spring, and it is obviousthat the said supporting spring or cushion co-operates with thecell-springs in securing the continual and certain contact of the knobsor buttons with their respective rings. The circuits are completedthrough given upper wires, given lower wires, given rings, and givenknobs, cells, and sprmgs.

The precise mechanical arrangement described is not an essential of theinvention, as it is obvious that if the cells were of non-conductingmaterial, and the lower wires entered through them, so as to makecontact with the spiral springs, the electrical connection would becomplete.

The construction of the upper disk need not necessarily be thatrepresented in the drawings, although the latter is a convenientconstruction. .Any given number of rings may be employed, and acorresponding number of knobs or buttons be applied to the lower disk. Ihave represented the disks as inclosed in 'a chamber formed in the baseof the standard. It is obvious, however, that they need not be inclosed,and that they may be otherwise located than within the standard.

It will be readily understood that in the operation of my device contactthrough the different circuits is insured, whatever may be the positionof the revolnble wire-tube with V respect to its path of movement.

This contrivance obviates the necessity of all adjustment of the lowerdisk, and secures the constant and accurate contact of the respectiveknobs or buttons with their respective rings.

It is obvious that, if desired, the rings may be applied to the lowerdisk and the springcontrolled knobs or buttons to the upper. Thatarrangement which I have represented is, however, that which I prefer.It is obvious, also, that while disks are the most convenient plates orsupporting devices for containing the rings and the knobs or buttons,yet that other supporting contrivances may be substituted in the steadof disks. It is obvious, again, that the wire-holder or containing-tubeis in itself simply' a revolnble standard whose office is that ofsupporting the revolnble transmitter or device to be revolved and thedisk or plate which carries the concentric rings, and of containing theupper portions of the divided wires. It need not necessarily be a tube,although the tube is the best form of which I have present knowledge.The cells also, are simply cages or containing devices for the knobs orbuttons.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent-=- 1. In combination with the wires of a given electriccircuit, which are divided at a given point, a series of concentricinsulated conducting-rings, with which portions of the divided wires areconnected, and a series of springcontrolled knobs or buttons, which makecontact, respectively, with and are adapted to be rotated against therings, and with which the other portions of the divided wires areconnected, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with the wires of a telephone-transmitter,signal-light, or other clec trio device, which are divided at agivenpoint,

IIO

a pair of disksor supporting-plates of insulating material, respectivelyprovided with a series of concentric conducting rings and a series ofspring-controlled knobs or buttons, with which rings and knobs,respectively, the divided wires are connected, substantially in themanner and for the purpose specified.

3. In combination with a telephone-transmitter or other electricaldevice so supported as to be capable of arevolution about a fixed point,a revoluble tube or holder for support ing said transmitter and forcontaining a series of wires,a:series of concentric conductingrings, adisk or plate carried by the tube and adapted to revolve with said tubefor supporting said rings,aseries of spring-controlled knobs or buttonscorresponding in number to the rings aforesaid and respectively makingcontact with the said rings, and a disk or plate for supporting saidspring-controlled buttons, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination with a telephone-transmitter or other electricaldevice so supported as'to be capable of a revolution about a fixedpoint, a revoluble tube or holder for supporting said transmitter andfor containing a series of wires, a series of concentricconducting-rings mounted upon a disk or plate carried by the tube andadapted to revolve with said tube, a series of spring-controlled knobsor buttons corresponding in number to the rings aforesaid, respectivelymaking contact with the said rings, and mounted upon a disk or plate forsupporting said spring-controlled tric suitably-insulatedconducting-rings, a series of spring-controlled knobs or buttonsrespectively disposed to make contact with and to be rotated againstdifferent rings, divided wires of the same circuits respectively as totheir divided extremities electrically connected with the rings and theknobs or buttons aforesaid, anddisks, plates, or kindred devices forretaining the rings and knobs or buttons in contact, substantially asset forth.

In testimony whereof I havehereunto signed my name this 8th day ofOctober, A. D. 1884.

E. FORREST \VEAVEP.

In presence of- J. BONSALL TAYLOR, W. (LSTRAWBRIDGE.

